McLeish On Newcastle Defeat

Alex McLeish had to watch his side go down 2-1 at Newcastle United on Saturday, leaving Blues still needing points for safety.

City went behind in the first half when Liam Ridgewell handled the ball in the area to give away a penalty and more importantly for Birmingham, get himself sent off.

McLeish had no complaints about the penalty decision, but questioned the red card.

He also had a problem with the fact that Newcastle`s Steven Taylor remained on the pitch after catching striker Cameron Jerome with his elbow as the pair jumped for an early high ball. He then went on to score Newcastle’s second and points winning goal.

He said: ‘We had a double-whammy. Taylor probably should have been off the park leading with his elbow on Cameron Jerome’s cheekbone earlier in the game.

‘We don’t want to see that type of thing. Look at my nose and the stitches I have had over the years. That type of challenge is outlawed, but unfortunately the ref didn’t see it.’

On the penalty decision, he added: ‘It hit his arm and he on was on the line. It wasn’t going towards the goal, it was going to the side, but Nolan was probably in a good position to get on the end of it.

‘The referee saw the arm going towards the ball and that is a penalty, those are the rules.’